1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular to a method and apparatus for managing data within a data processing system. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for handling data stored in magnetic tape cartridges.
2. Description of Related Art
For years now magnetic tape cartridges have proven to be an efficient and effective medium for data storage, including backing up data from primary storage devices and acting as primary storage devices for infrequently accessed data. A tape cartridge is a housing containing magnetic tape. The tape cartridge, which is also referred to as a “tape”, may be wound onto one or more reels within the housing.
Large computer systems have a need to access numerous cartridges. To this end, automated cartridge handling systems or libraries for cartridges have been developed for making the cartridges automatically available to the computer. Many of these automated libraries resemble jukeboxes. These automated libraries are also referred to as “automated cartridge systems” and may contain thousands of cartridges within a single automated cartridge system. The cartridges within an automated cartridge system are accessed using automated or robotic systems. In some systems, a robotic arm moves around within a housing containing cartridges stored in array holders or slots and moves the cartridges. The robotic arm is used to move a cartridge from the array to a tape drive. The robotic arm also is used to remove a cartridge from a tape drive and place the cartridge back into the array. These automated libraries also include automated mechanisms to introduce and remove tapes from the library.
Many of these automated cartridge systems are accessed through a network. The network client protocols for these automated cartridge systems are often proprietary and are not easy to develop, port, maintain, and extend. Currently, access to an automated cartridge system from a client location requires installation of software encompassing the proprietary protocol. Porting the protocols to different platforms to control these automated cartridge systems is difficult, especially in view of the many different types of platforms that have to be supported for different customers.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method and apparatus for controlling robotic libraries, such as automatic cartridge systems.